Figure 1. Effect of calcineurin inhibitors on T. cruzi proliferation.

A) Epimastigotes were incubated with different concentrations of CsA (10, 20 and 40 µM). Untreated parasites or parasites treated with ethanol were used as a control. Assays were performed in three different cultures, each containing 5×10⁵ epimastigotes per sample in 1 mL of LIT medium supplemented with 10% FBS. Cultures were monitored daily for one week to determine parasite density. B) T. cruzi epimastigotes were maintained for 72 hours in LIT medium supplemented with 10% FBS in the absence (control) or with different concentrations (5, 10, 20 and 40 µM) of the following calcineurin inhibitors: CsA, FK-506, INCA-6 and kaempferol. Cell proliferation was calculated as a percentage of the number of parasites in the control group. Results are expressed as mean ± standard error of three independent experiments performed in triplicate.